I think you’re probably reading too much into things here because the Bears are more or less going to have to commit to Cutler or pull the plug way before the draft. The Bears' position with Cutler right now stems from one thing and one thing only: His level of play over the past several seasons has not been commensurate to the level of his pay. That’s why the Bears are taking their time and maybe seeing if another option comes along for Cutler (unlikely). If he’d played at a high level this past season, I don’t think there is any question general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox would stand up and talk about how happy they are with Cutler moving forward. Of course, if Cutler had played at a high level this past season, there probably would not have been wholesale changes at Halas Hall.

By failing to commit to Cutler right now, the staff is sending a message to him, the...

The Giants' Andre Brown is tackled by the Packers' Brad Jones after a seven-yard run during the second quarter.

The Giants' Andre Brown is tackled by the Packers' Brad Jones after a seven-yard run during the second quarter. (Mark Hoffman, McClatchy-Tribune)

What are your thoughts on the Bears bringing in Brad Jones? He’s a 3-4 inside linebacker and knows the Packers system. -- @Bbtwice1080

Green Bay announced the release of Jones last Friday, clearing $3.75 million in cap space. Keep in mind that inside linebacker was arguably the weakest position on the Packers defense this past season, so they are clearly seeking an upgrade over Jones, who turns 29 in April. A seventh-round pick in 2009, the Packers signed Jones to an $11.25 million, three-year contract in 2013 but he didn’t step forward like they thought he would after he filled in and did a nice job in place of Desmond Bishop in 2012.

There are multiple levels to free agency and if he’s on the street after the first wave of free agency, perhaps he will warrant a look as a depth addition. Jones might be the kind of player that teams wait until after the draft to assess. His knowledge of the Packers isn’t really a huge plus in my estimation.

Why would the Bears tip their hand and announce what defense they are going to play? Isn't it best to keep that quiet until the draft? -- @BarberSquires

For starters, there aren’t many secrets in the NFL. The Bears pretty much tipped their hand when they hired Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator and then announced assistant defensive line coach Clint Hurtt would be retained as an outside linebackers coach, a position that typically isn’t found on teams with 4-3 defenses.

The coaching staff needs to be honest with the current players on what is happening and you can bet the Bears are going to make moves in free agency to stock the defense, moves that would be a giveaway as to what kind of scheme they are going to play. This isn’t a handicap to them as they approach the draft or free agency for that matter.

John Fox was named 15th head coach in franchise history on Jan. 16, 2015. He has 13 years of NFL head coaching experience with the Broncos (2011-14) and the Panthers (2002-10).

John Fox was named 15th head coach in franchise history on Jan. 16, 2015. He has 13 years of NFL head coaching experience with the Broncos (2011-14) and the Panthers (2002-10). (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune)

Vic Fangio joined the Bears on Jan. 20, 2015, and has 36 years of coaching experience, including 28 in the NFL and 15 as an NFL defensive coordinator. For the last four seasons, he was the defensive coordinator for the 49ers.

Vic Fangio joined the Bears on Jan. 20, 2015, and has 36 years of coaching experience, including 28 in the NFL and 15 as an NFL defensive coordinator. For the last four seasons, he was the defensive coordinator for the 49ers. (Kyle Terada, USA Today Sports)

Regarding the switch to a 3-4 defense, doesn't tradition count for anything? The Bears, to my knowledge, are the only team in the NFL that has never played a 3-4 and rightly so -- since it was Bill George who created the 4-3 as well as the middle linebacker position. Does John Fox even know who Bill George is? Also, I don't think there's any real proof that a 3-4 front is superior to a 4-3. Is the brain trust at Halas Hall aware that the three most dominant defenses of the new millennium (2000 Ravens, 2002 Bucs, 2013 Seahawks) all ran a 4-3? If Vic Fangio is such a great coach, then he should be able to adapt to what his head coach is more comfortable with. – Ed R., Elmont, N.Y.

Fox is the one that hired Fangio and so I think it is pretty safe to assume that Fox is the driving force behind a conversion to a 3-4 defense at this point, not Fangio. Unfortunately, the Bears don’t have any of the great linebackers of yesterday on the roster anymore. Does the fine tradition of D.J. Williams...

Jared Allen has indicated in the past he has no interest in playing as a 3-4 defensive end. What will be done with him? -- @IAMGumby317

Here’s the deal: The Bears and Allen are married to each other for this season. Both sides realize that and both sides are smart enough to know they have to do the best they can to make it work. Allen has an $11.5 roster bonus that is fully guaranteed and a $1 million base salary that is also fully guaranteed. That makes him untradeable and the Bears would gain nothing by releasing him.

When I talked to Allen during the Super Bowl week in Scottsdale, Ariz., he said, “It’s not that I can’t do it.” Allen isn’t going to be lined up as an end in the 3-4 scheme. He’s going to be tried initially as an outside linebacker. He’s also going to be used as a pass-rushing end in the sub package, which will likely have four down linemen in most instances.

So, the question is whether he can do a little more than be a rushing end in the sub packages? We’ll find out....

I don’t know that his days are necessarily numbered but the man that traded for him is long gone and now the man that extended his contract is also out the door. So GM Ryan Pace and coach John Fox have no ties to Cutler. They can move on from Cutler without being judged by his performance. The issue is there isn’t a lot out there in the way of proven quarterbacks in free agency and the draft, as we have detailed, is extra thin at the position.

I think the most realistic situation is Cutler is put on a year-to-year plan with the Bears. If he steps up and plays well, he can stick around. If he doesn’t, the Bears are not going to continue to overpay at the position. They also want to evaluate the culture and what has happened. It’s fair to say there is a better chance he is gone sooner rather than later now that Phil Emery has moved on.